Microsoft's Bing search engine is now available as an iPhone app. Yes, really, the PC Guy and the Mac Guy have buried the hatchet, at least when they are mobile. Here are three cool things you can do with Bing on iPhone -- or iPod Touch.
1. Talk to it. Bing's voice search technology -- which is available on n Windows phones or BlackBerry already -- works well for map locations or Web search. That's handy for questions that require only a quick result, such as, "Time in Mongolia?" or "Weather in Sao Paulo?" You can also speak an address for a map or directions.
2. Find your way. Hungry? For Chinese food? Now? Bing automatically finds your location and can suggest businesses, such as Chinese restaurants, that fit your criteria. Or if you aren't sure what you want exactly, or want to try something new, Bing can help you make a selection by providing several options, according to Justin Jed on the Bing blog. Further, you can choose whether you want walking or driving directions. Smooth mapping action lets users swipe through each step of the directions,quickly panning and zooming. In an aside to "techies," the blog notes that Microsoft used Seadragon technology for some of this. That somehow seems to be a subliminal play to attract Google Android users, who are seen to be the most techie mobile phone users.
3. Zoom-out and some other adornments. Have only one hand free and can't pinch? That's when the zoom-out button comes in handy. There's also an uncluttered home page includes the Bing search bar and six "clickable hotspots," that lead to images, movies, maps, businesses, news and directions.
